


Stumbling

by GMRivers



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Gen, Hades Video Game Canon Typical Temporary Death, Hurt, Light Angst, Nightmares, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:34:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28538922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GMRivers/pseuds/GMRivers
Summary: Zagreus woke to a sort of sweet, slightly salty taste. The tangy, metallic scent of blood flooded his senses.(Rating is for many mentions of blood and violence. Just to be safe.)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51





	Stumbling

Zagreus woke to a sweet, slightly salty taste. The tangy, metallic scent of blood flooded his senses. It was in his mouth, in his nose, in his eyes. It clung to him as he stood from the pool, slowly dripping from his hair and limbs. It was a familiar sensation, and as comforting as it was hated. Zagreus took the first few steps out of the pool, still slick with the liquid and half-stumbling. He'd been doing well, taking almost no hits and defeating his foes with strong, powerful hits. He'd been blessed by Athena, Zeus, Poseidon, Dionysus, Ares, Aphrodite, Artemis and Hermes. He had a deal with Chaos, and boons from Sisyphus and Eurydice. He took next to no damage from Alecto and only minor burns from the Bone Hydra. And then... Theseus and Asterius. The golden ponce and the minotaur.

Zagreus had fought against them three times now, and this last one had to be the worst so far. The fight had been going as usual, with Asterius charging at him, Theseus trying to skewer him, and Zagreus making light banter. Then Theseus got this look on his face, almost like Alecto when she's sent to greet a freshly arrived soul.

"If the humiliation of our last fight couldn't dissuade you, maybe we ought to try some... Subtler methods."

He started dragging out the fight and Asterius followed his lead. It was a bloody mess. Zagreus had a thousand small cuts and slashes bleeding sluggishly by the end of it. He should've been dead twice over by then. His muscles were sore and burning, he was weak with bloodloss and his frustration made him sloppy. Zagreus caught a spear to the gut. Dying was as awful as ever. Choking on his own blood, feeling like he was coughing out his organs and actually having some of his organs outside of his body... Every failed attempt gave him fuel for nightmares. This last one just gave him some more variety.

Zagreus shook his head slightly, trying to dislodge the blood that got in his ears. Unfortunately, the blood did nothing to drown out Hypnos' snide remarks.

"... You're back! Who'd've thunk? Well, besides pretty much everyone, since, you know. That Minotaur is a piece of work, and Theseus is a godsdamned legend." Hypnos said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Zagreus said nothing, walking towards his father's throne to greet Cerberus and wiping away the occasional droplet of blood that fell down his forehead. The trail of red that marked his passing through the hall was only a bonus. It never failed to annoy his father. 

"See you soon!" Hypnos called out behind him, before falling quiet and presumably going back to work. Zagreus scoffed lightly. He was probably asleep already.

When Zagreus reached the end of the hall, he almost walked into Nyx. He finally looked up from the floor to find his mother in all but name arguing with the king. Cerberus' usual spot was empty.

Zagreus stared at the dog's favorite spot, half-listening to the tail end of the conversation.

"... Remember your place, Nyx. You might be Night itself, but this is my House..." Hades thundered. "... You will not interfere."

It was probably about him then, Zagreus deduced. Things had been going to shit in the House since he started trying to escape. Nyx and Hades were at odds. Meg had begun treating him less like an annoying little brother and more like a traitor to her king. Than was angry at him and barely even spoke to him when he was actually in the House.

At least his relationship with Achilles had gotten better. The calm, wizened warrior hadn't always been that way, Zagreus knew. He still occasionally caught sight of the anger and the indomitable drive that made Achilles into a legend, and it was always a sight to behold. It was never aimed at Zagreus though, not since the very beginning. The hero was one of the kindest people he knew, and lately felt more like a father than the king did. Though, Zagreus thought, as he looked up at the empty post, he wasn't always there.

Zagreus moved towards the door at his left out of habit. He used to spend a lot of time there as a kid. Before he dreamed of the world and before his dad became perpetually disappointed in him. He made a token offert at opening it, confirmed it was locked, and walked away.

The lounge area was as busy as always, with souls huddled in groups and complaining about this or that. Meg was sitting with Dusa at a table, and Zagreus moved to approach.

The second that Dusa caught sight of him, she flew out of the room in a tizzy. Meg turned around with some surprise that quickly turned into a glare when she saw him. Zagreus wanted to drop right there when Meg turned her back on him once again.

He approached her quietly, setting a bottle of nectar on the table, right beside her arm, and walked out of the lounge. She didn't follow him or react in any way. Zagreus expected it, but it hurt anyway. He didn't see her eyes follow him out, or the flicker in the corner of the room, where the god of Death cloaked himself in shadow. 

His room looked the same as always. A few things were strewn about, his desk was hard and his bed was soft. Immutable truths that remained no matter what.

And darkness was he tempted by the bed! Even if the pool had restored him physically, he was still exhausted. The underworld is not a small place and there are hardly any spaces safe enough to rest. It is simply chamber after chamber, hour after hour of fighting and killing and dying.

He looked away from the bed in a futile attempt to stop thinking about it. He wouldn't be able to rest anyway. He could feel the nightmares creeping around his mind, just waiting for him to fall unconscious. The last thing he needed right now was to see Meg killing him again or the Bone Hydra crashing down on his burnt body to finish him off. 

The mirror caught his eye as he turned away from rest. He allowed a tiny smile to curl his lips. At least he had gotten some darkness out of this last failure. The mirror would weave it into a spell and he could always appreciate getting stronger. It was the only way to get out of here. 

The only way to find his mother, to meet his relatives face to face, to see the world all those shades had lived in, the world where Achilles and Patroclus used to live, and where all the legends of the underworld had been forged. He wanted to see it all so badly!

It didn't make him a a traitor to the House or to his family. It didn't have to be forever, or an ultimatum, or whatever else his father thought. He wasn't abandoning them. He wasn't. 

Zagreus took a deep breath, and then another. One way or another, he was getting out. No matter what everyone else said. 

As he crossed towards the training room, a true smile finally worked itself accros his face. At least Skelly always seemed happy to see him. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this little thing. I haven't finished playing the game yet, but I kept thinking about Zagreus just dying over and over again and how that would affect him. Also, I miss Meg. Her sisters just aren't the same.
> 
> As usual, I have no beta, so please feel free to point out any mistakes. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
